Name :Tutor :Course :University Date : The Masque . The masque was a kind of festival entertainment that was very popular during the 16th and 17th century in Europe and it involved singing ,acting and dancing . The courtly entertainment portrayed the height of sophistication of folk customs that were practiced in the pre-Christian era . The masque tradition traces its origin from Ducal Burgundy ‘s courtly shows and elaborate pageants that were held in the 15th Century in Europe and then skyrocketed in the 16th and 17th century and this is what this paper will try to discuss about . It will trace the origin and development of masque , assess its legacy and its impacts in the 20th and 21st century . According to Gassner (551 , “It (masque ) was a form of private theatrical entertainment that flourished in the renaissance Italy and that was avidly adopted by the aristocracy of France and England in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries ‘ Though its origin is a bit obscure , it had a unique character that differentiated form the carnival rowdies and English mummeries ‘ high jinks in that it took an artistic dimension that combined music , poetry , elegant costumes and dancing styles that were accompanied by elaborate stage machineries . All these items were put together in a professional manner something that gave the entire performance musical harmony and unity (Gassner 551 . This kind of entertainment slowly adopted its unique nature especially when spectacular machineries such as ships and castles were mounted on the wheels and by the times of…